‘Teachaholic’ Decides To Break 30-Year Habit Central Valley Losing A Valued Staff Member

Movie posters of the classics hang over the chalkboard in Susan Dar’s classroom: “Dracula,” “Gone With the Wind” and “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

But “Nowhere to Run,” starring action hero/kickboxer Jean-Claude Van Damme?

“Van Damme, Steven Seagal, Charles Bronson - they’re my favorites,” Dar said. “You know why I like those? As a teacher, I have to deal with the ambiguities in life. But not here with these movies. Here the good guys always beat the bad guys.”

Dar is one of the good guys, according to colleagues.

She has taught in the Central Valley School District for 30 years, the past 10 of those at Central Valley High School. On Jan. 31, she’ll retire.

“I have an excellent student teacher, I’m teaching only two classes and I’m retiring in nine days,” Dar said Monday afternoon. “But I still spent 17 hours over the weekend on classwork. It only stops when you die.”

The self-described “teachaholic” has taught advanced placement English, debate, advanced placement European history, world affairs, American literature and U.S. history.

She’s known for experimenting with new classes.

Dar combined teaching U.S. history and American literature into a two-hour humanities class for juniors.

She taught world affairs from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for students with special needs. The 10 students from that class will be placed in daytime classes next semester.

“We’re trying to adjust and change,” Dar said. “One size does not fit all.”

Dar has seen several changes since she started teaching in the district in 1964. Soon after she started her job, she had to quit for a while because she was pregnant.

“Those were the rules,” she said. “You also couldn’t wear pants in the classroom.”

That’s no longer the case, and neither is the dress code for students. When Dar started teaching, boys were sent to the barber shop if their hair grew too long. Girls were sent home if their skirts were too short.

Clothes may have changed; the students haven’t, Dar said.

“The kids themselves are the same,” she said. “But their lives are very different. Their lives are more chaotic, more stressed, less regulated and, in my opinion, less secure.

“I don’t think that means necessarily that society is falling apart. But it is changing.”

As Dar talked, she fiddled with her glasses. She drummed her fingers on the desk. She used visual aids when stressing points.

School principal Paul Sturm said it was easy to describe his feelings at losing Dar. But he had trouble finding words.

“I don’t know how I can say it,” he said. “It’s just a real loss to our staff and to our students.”

Staff members dropped by Dar’s room to talk before Dar finally packs up her room. English teacher Christian Rhodes was a student of Dar’s at Greenacres Junior High.

“It’s depressing when you finally get here and someone can be your mentor, and now she’s leaving,” Rhodes said.

Many students will also probably miss Dar, who joked with them as she walked down the hall.

“Hey Dar,” one student said. “I gotta come talk to you before you retire. Before you go hang out with all the other old ladies.”

That’s doubtful. Dar is only 55, and she plans to unwind and spend more time with the Humane Society in the next few months. She eventually might work part-time at an elementary school.

Her high school classes will be blended into other classrooms. For some students, such as those in her soon-to-be-defunct evening world affairs class, it won’t be the same.

“They’re disappointed,” said Dar with a sigh. “But you know, it’s always better to leave when people still want you to stay.”

Camp Fire kids clean up

If you’ve ever stolen soap and shampoo from hotels or grabbed an extra toothbrush from the dentist, Stephanie Barkley can imagine how you feel.

She also knows how you can wash away any guilt. Donate the items.

The eight girls in the fourth-grade Camp Fire group at South Pines Elementary challenged the school’s students to collect soap, shampoo, dental hygiene supplies and other toiletries, club leader Barkley said.

The school held the drive from Jan. 10 until Tuesday. All the toiletries collected are slated for the homeless served by City Gate Fellowship.

More than 800 personal hygiene items were collected during the drive, Barkley said Wednesday. Becky Amend’s fourth-grade class won a root beer float party for being the most generous donors.

“There are food drives, there are clothing drives, there are sock and mitten drives,” Barkley said. “Sometimes what people need is a bath or just a minute to brush their teeth. These are needs that can be met pretty easily.”

This is the second year of the soap-raiser. Last year 12 boxes of supplies were given to Crosswalk, a downtown shelter for homeless youngsters.

Barkley said she remembered the drive when she stayed in a hotel for four weeks last year.

“Every day I stole the soap and shampoo,” she said. “I kept (the drive) in the back of my mind.”

Her daughter told her dentist about the service project several weeks ago and asked for an extra toothbrush. He gave her 65 toothbrushes and a case of toothpaste samples.

“The girls who are involved to this point don’t know the poverty, homelessness, despair and hunger that all the people who we try to serve experience every day,” Barkley said. “We don’t have real rich kids in our club. But compared to those we try to help, they’re very blessed.”

MEMO: Education Notebook is a regular feature of the Valley Voice. If you have news about an interesting program or activity at a Valley school or about the achievements of Valley students, teachers or school staff, please let us know. Write: Education Notebook, Valley Voice, E13208 Sprague, Spokane, WA 99216. Call: 927-2164. Fax: 927-2175.